Big Heart Skating boss, Federation scribe, others highlight gains of Canadian professional Skater’s visit

Saturday, October, 5, 2024 will ever remain evergreen in the memory of skaters in Lagos State as over 500 athletes and coaches converged at the National Stadium,Surulere, Lagos for the rounding up of the three day workshop organised by visiting Canadian professional skater and Choreographer, Alex Anore Hamel who was in the country to interact with Nigerian skaters as well as teach them some new techniques of the sports.

The visit which was in collaboration with Big Heart Skating Club, saw the Canadian who was accompanied by his wife, Pascale and little daughter, took the skaters on various aspects of the game.
Alex, who skates on ice and was marvelled by the skills of Nigerian athletes on hard surface, took time to introduce chronograph skating to the athletes. He also took part in Skating ball that was invented by the founder of Big Heart Skating Club, Kingsley Kendron Nkisa.
It was a carnival like event as the organisers added colour to it with athletes performing various tricks such as sliding, bicycle skating, aggressive Skating and many others which kept the spectators applauding every move as the event lasted with those who excelled in their performance getting instant monetary reward.
Speaking at the end of the entertaining program, Alex commended Nigerian skaters for their hard work, resilience, brilliance and skilful displays especially on hard surfaces which he described as phenomenal.
He promised to introduce skate ball to his country even as he stated that the visit will open up a lot of collaboration between his group and Big Heart Skating Club.
” I’m highly excited with the warm reception accorded to me and my family in Nigeria. The people are very friendly and ready to help each other. I also discovered a lot of talented athletes but the only problem is that they work individually instead of working in synergy to achieve greater result.
” Over there in Canada, we skate on ice but surprisingly athletes here skate on hard surfaces and am imagining the excellent result they’ll get when they skate on ice.
” The skate ball is also phenomenal and I hope to introduce it to my country and probably form a club.We have a lot of collaboration to do which might include Skating in a theatre which shall be awesome”, he stated
An overwhelmed President /Founder of Big Heart Skating Club, Kingsley Kendron Nkisa while taking stock of the program expressed gratitude to Alex and his wife whom he said taught Nigerian skaters many things which they don’t know about in the sports prior to their visit
He was also grateful to the immediate past President of Roller Sports Federation of Nigeria, Comrade Joseph Evah and other skating clubs for their financial support towards the successful hosting of the programme. Kendron did not forget the Federation and the Sports Ministry whom he appreciated for giving approval for the hosting of the event; saying that he looks forward to future collaboration between his club and the Canadians.

” I must have to tell you that am overwhelmed with the visit of Alex and his wife. I didn’t know how they singled out my club as the one to visit in Nigeria.
” All that I know is that they went through the internet, saw our lovely program on video and online and decided they’ll work with us and then contacted a Non Governmental Organisation, Street Project Foundation who gave them our contact because they already know us
” Their coming has really helped us because they taught us many things about skating which goes beyond aggressive skating, street skating, and shalome to include Artistic Figure Skating, Synchronized Skating, and Choreography Skating. Alex also had the opportunity of participating in African skate ball which I invested which was fun.
” They really gave us something that’s very wonderful and they promised us a lot . They said that this is the beginning of good things to come and I look forward to more fruitful collaboration with them.
“Alex also told us that we have talented skaters but the only thing we’re lacking is cross cultural activities and lack of enough space like theatre to exhibit our talents and . I believe that is more we’re going to benefit benefit in future”, noted Kendron who is an executive board member of Roller Sports Federation of Nigeria
In his remarks, Secretary General of Rollers Sports Federation of Nigeria, Philip Oyede said that the Federation is happy with what Big Heart Skating Club has done and will continue to encourage clubs to up their games through similar collaborations with foreign partners.
He explained that the Federation gave approval for the visit because of the immense benefits the athletes will derive from it even as he stated that
the Federation is open to partnership with corporate organisations to move the sports forward
” We at the Federation are really excited with what Big Heart Skating Club did and we’ll always encourage other clubs to emulate them to enable our athletes get adequate exposure..
” The Federation is also using this medium to appeal to corporate organisations to sponsor one or two programmes of the Federation. As a way of moving the sports forward, keep the youths busy and reduce crime in the society.
Two athletes Messrs; Chukwudi Ike Ifediuru and Tijani Idris noted that the athletes learnt a lot and the Canadians taught them that there is more to skating and a lot of ways you can explain yourself while skating.
” We learnt a lot. We learnt that skating is not only being on the road, doing tricks,jumping and sliding but that we can pass a message through skating and we’re looking forward to Alex and his wife, Pascale visiting the country soonest.
” Kudos must also go to the President of Big Heart Skating Club, Kingsley Kendron Nkisa for making the visit possible and we look forward to more of such programmes in future”, they chorused.